Forma
Forma was a term used by the mages of the Order of Hermes during the Dark Ages, to collectively describe the four Pillars of their magick: Anima (Command of Life), Corona (Command of the Mind), Primus (Command of Quintessence ), and Vires (Command of Elemental Forces). It should be noted that the Craftmasons eschewed the use of Primus, and instead practiced a Pillar known as Materia (Command of Material Substances). Overview Each Pillar of the Order of Hermes is a Forma. Each Forma embodies a fundamental aspect of Creation, a pillar that shores up the world itself. These four ancient Forma are: Anima (the "Breath of Life" that flows through every living being), Corona (the "Crown" which grants control over the working of the mind), Primus ( the raw power of magic itself) and Vires ("Forces", mastery over the energies of the Universe). Although the four Formas encompass a great many potential powers, in no case can current Hermetic theory violate certain precepts set forth by the Church (precepts which Bonisagus himself subscribed to and set forth in the founding doctrine of the Order): The resurrection of the dead, the creation of true life and travel beyond the Lunar Sphere. Further, though many scholars of the Order have truck with various spiritual entities, both benign and malefic, their control of those being hinges mostly upon mastery of the energies that sustain those beings, rather than power over ephemeral matter. Sample Foci: Conjunctions or other astrological phenomena, Enochian language (chants, recitation or text), numerology Anima (Command of Life) Life is a breath. The ancients knew that breath is the only thing that separates the living from the lifeless. Just as the soul escapes with a gasp at the moment of death, so too did God make Adam live by inspiration (literally, breathing into). Thus, it is unsurprising that the Order's Forma of life derive its name from this sacred breath. This is the power to heal, the strength of the ox, and the speed of the wolf, it is mastery of sickness and health and control over all flesh, from the smallest ant to the mightiest oliphant of Araby. When first setting our upon this path, the mage must content herself with curing or bestowing fever and dispelling the need for sleep and sustenance. As her experience grows, she can summon and unmake plagues, restore lost limbs as a salamander does and quell heartbeats with a word. Sample Foci: Cup or chalice, mandrake or other mystic plant , mercury, pentacles of Venus, stave wands of green wood Specialties: Creating Life, Healing, Human Form, Hybridization, Lesser Creatures Corona (Command of the Mind) Hnrking back to the wisdom of Solomon himself, the greate t crown a ruler might don is that of a puissant mind. Building upon that precept, Corona enables the llcrmetic mage to enhance rhe quali ty, the quantity and the forcefulness of his thoughts. At its most basic levels, the C rown of Kings helps the mage to hone his intellect and to pe1form subtle manipulations of perceptions and the intellect. When wielded by a Master fluent in its ways, this power can be used to extingui h or create entiencc, eradicate free will, forge genius from id iocy or set consciousness free from the shackle of the flesh. Sample Foci: Circler or crown, dagger, diamond, mirror, silver Specialties: Creating Consciousness, Subtle Intrusion, Subverting Wills, Telepathy Primus (Command of Quintessence) A Form perfected becomes an Ideal. It is this perfection to which the student of Hermes' arts aspires, this elevation to the status of the Ideal. Magic itself, its cause, it effect, its very substance, exists in this exalted state. Composed fundamentally of the unblemished Fifth Essence, magic itself may well be the greatest power a mage can control. It is the Prime or foremost element of the Universe. By mastering this Forma, the mage finds herself able to sculpt and manipulate the elusive threads of mystic force itself. Whereas apprentices are capable of altering the flow of Quintessence and sending gentle ripples through the arcane channels of the Tapestry, those who are truly adept in this art can give life to new places of power, destroy the Gift in another or set in motion enchantments that stand for a thousand years. Sample Foci: Books and scrolls, gold, fragrant oils, rings, sunlight or sun-imagery, the number 1 Specialties: Creating Ideals, Dispelling Magic, Drawing From Unusual Sources, Enchanting Items Vires (Command of Elemental Forces) A wizaid's wrath is a conflagration and his laughter warm and p lca~anl unlight. Certainly the most fantastic and vistually stunning of the Forms commonly taught to mages of the Order, the way of Forces summons the storm, masters light and darkness, bends the tides and grants the mage flight without wings. Though it is considered the least subtle of the Hermetic arts, Vires is as well suited to the spy, the courtier, and the assassin as it is to the blustering mage. After all, this Forma is as capable of conveying whispered words across leagues or gathering a mantle of shadows as it is of raining lightning down on the heads of those who displease. At first, disciples of this art flicker candle flames and send chills through the air and, later, transform moonlight into flame and tear castles from the Earth to set them atop the clouds. Sample Foci: Electricity, Fine Manipulation, Fire, Flight, Physical Contact Specialties: Candles, fire, iron, pentacles of Mars, swords Materia (Command of Material Substances) Materia is the art of alchemical and philosophical(i.e,scientific) shaping, and forging. With the craftmason's dedication eclipsing their dedication to the world of matter eclipsing their dedication the the subtle magical workings of magic, they gave up the study of Ars Primus in favor of Ars Materia, the control of material substances. Most applications of Materia beyond the perceptual (i.e., discerning properties of matter) require extended spells. Rarely is matter easily changed with but the wave of a wand. This is not to say that materia cannot be worked in the field, just that it is most appropriate in a laboratory. In general, the Storyteller should assume that any of the spell effects listed below require more than one success, and might need 10 or more. At the storyteller's discretion, certain mages of the Order of Hermes can also learn this Pillar, such as the magical smiths of House Verditius. Rating Description *'• '''The mage can sense integrity and weakness in objects and structures. Even the smallest flaw in a tapestry, the merest imperfection in a crystal, or the thinnest crack in a wall can be discerned with but a glance. At this level the Craftmason can also disscern the balance of the four classical elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) in all non-living things *• • Now the mage can tamper with items in the material world. Substances can be nudged toward or away from the direction of their true nature: The mage may make liquids more or less viscous, metals harder or softer and mineral spirits more or less flammable. One substance can be transmuted into another, similar substance: copper into bronze, for example, or urine into water. He may nudge the elemental balance of a substance with his will, turning stone to clay(by making the stone more malleable, like water) or air into a thick black smoke (by making it darker and heavier, like earth). The mage can make powerful poisons at this level as well *• • • This is the beginning of true understanding of the nature of matter for the Craftmason. He can make substances that perform in a wondrous variety of ways: powders that flash like lightning or explore. Oils that burn even under water. He can melt stone, cause glass to burn and stil lwater into a beautiful blue crystal at room temperature. He can make opaque substances transparent and vice versa. These changes aren't permanent (unless made so with an ongoing spell), but they might be permanent enough *• • • • High manifestations of alchemical science are possible now; the Craftmason may distill Orichalum (true Gold) and Lunargent (True Silver) from such common elements as lead and dirt. He may forge highly precise and tiny objects, allowing him to create scale and chain mail as fine and smooth as velvel but as hard as adamantium. He can make oils that nourish, potions that dissolve metal, poisons that cause flesh to evaporate, and beautiful liquid gems that bead and roll like quicksilver. He can make whole walls evaporate. He can animate matter to create strange golems of clay and wood. With the proper formulae and practice, the Craftmason can transform base elements like dirt and stone into leather, wood, milk, food or nearly anything else he may need. *• • • • • At this level of understanding, the Craftmason, having mastered all the rules of matter's working, can now, with enough preparation, break all of those rules at will. With enough experimentation, he can subvert any natural law pertaining to the material world. The mage may alter the density, volume and weight of a substance at will. He can make two items exist in the same space without interfering with one another. He can give matter any propery he can imagine - buoyancy, viscosity, impermeability, conductivity, etc, - or he can unmake it entirely References *DAM: 'Dark Ages: Mage Rulebook, p. 120-123 *DAM: '''Dark_Ages: Mage Grimoire, p. 161 Category:Dark Ages: Mage glossary